Political Potpourri 9-24-10

Friday

Sep 24, 2010 at 2:00 AM

Patriot Staff

Tea parties for two Someone we know has figured out a good way to test your politics. When you hear the words “tea party,” do you think of a current political movement, a moment of turmoil in pre-Revolutionary Boston – or the Mad Hatter and the March Hare? Keying in on good government Sandwich’s Tom Keyes, deputy speaker of the county Assembly and candidate for the Plymouth & Barnstable state Senate seat held by President Therese Murray, barnstormed from Plymouth to Barnstable Sept. 22 with ideas on how to improve the process. “Over the past several weeks, we have watched Senate President Murray attempt to force through a controversial wind energy bill during informal sessions,” Keyes observed in a press statement issued between two scheduled press conferences. “She has been waiting like a spider for its prey hoping that a Republican senator would not be present to stop the bill. Is this responsible governing?” The candidate’s “Keyes to Good Government Plan” calls for printing of bills and posting them online 72 hours before votes, requiring only a one-time objection in informal session to block a controversial bill, instituting a comprehensive audit of the Legislature, ending the practice of bundling amendments, eliminating the Legislature’s exemptions from the public records and open meeting laws, requiring a supermajority to raise taxes and ending extra pay for committee vice chairmen. Former Quincy mayor for Perry We weren’t aware that they grew Republican mayors in Quincy, but sure enough they do. Francis X. McCauley, the city’s former leader, has endorsed state Rep. Jeff Perry for Congress. In a press statement, McCauley, who won a Financial Leadership Award from the National Conference of Mayors for his management of Quincy’s budget, said Perry “will help restore fiscal sanity and put a stop to the big-government bailouts and out-of-control stimulus spending” in Washington. Keating seeks end to “doctor shopping” for drugs Calling for a crackdown on “doctor shopping” for access to prescription drugs such as Oxycontin, Democratic congressional candidate Bill Keating came to Falmouth this week to speak on the issue. In a press statement, he said he supports “federal efforts to crack down on prescription drug abuse, including online purchases.” U.S. Rep. Bill Delahunt is a co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse. In a press release this week, he noted that the House will be acting on the Safe Drug Disposal Act and the National All-Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting Reauthorization Act, both of which are aimed at reducing prescription drug abuse. Red to Blue selects Keating The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s Red to Blue program, described as a “proven success for House Democrats in winning competitive seats,” has decided to back Norfolk County District Attorney Bill Keating’s bid for Congress. Red to Blue offers “financial, communications, grassroots and strategic support” to select Democratic candidates. Cape daily to host debates Democrat Bill Keating and Republican Jeff Perry will meet Oct. 14 in a debate hosted by the Cape Cod Times and the Cape Cod Area League of Women Voters. The event, which includes a debate between Cape & Island state Senate candidates Jim Crocker and Dan Wolf also, will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Tilden Arts Center at Cape Cod Community College in West Barnstable. The Congressional debate will include three candidates running as independents: Maryanne Lewis, James Sheets and Joe Van Nes. Open house for Dems After the rededication of Sandwich Town Hall Oct. 2 at noon, everyone’s invited to the Sandwich Democratic Town Committee’s campaign headquarters at 4 Merchant Square from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Meet the candidates and enjoy light refreshments. Vieira opens HQ this weekend David Vieira, the Famouth town moderator running for state representative, will open his campaign headquarters at 600 Teaticket Way in that town Sept. 26 at 2 p.m. Vieria says he received one more Falmouth vote in the Republican primary than incumbent Matt Patrick did in his primary and drew more than the state rep in the district’s other three towns: Bourne, Falmouth and Mashpee. GOP vs DEM Last week’s primary election found more Barnstable voters taking Republican than Democratic ballots. State rep candidate James Munafo, Jr., drew almost 200 votes more than incumbent Demetrius Atasalis in Barnstable, but says he was “edged” by one vote in Yarmouth. Over in the 5th Barnstable District, Republican Randy Hunt got 1,032 votes in Barnstable to 637 for Lance Lambros. State Senate President Therese Murray, whose district includes several precincts in Barnstable, received the votes of 690 townspeople. Republican challenger Tom Keyes drew 991. Governor’s Council candidate Charles Cipolliini of Fall River outpolled his brother Oliver in the latter’s home town, 3,124 to 1,951 Voters registered as unenrolled are able to take a Democratic, Republican, or third party ballot in primaries without having to change their registrations. O’Leary: I’ll keep fighting “It’s tough to come this close and not win,” former Congressional candidate Rob O’Leary told supporters in a post-election e-mail message. He’s not kidding: unofficial counts show he ended up within 800 votes of primary winner Bill Keating’s tally, a strong showing for someone whose base is on the less-populated Cape & Islands. In his message, O’Leary said he’ll “keep fighting for our schools and the environment.” Taking a step that will help the latter, he advised supporters to dispose of or turn in their yard signs. Motorcyclists back Vieira State rep candidate David Vieira has been endorsed by the Massachusetts Motorcycle Political Action Committee. “Too often motorcyclists are given a bad rap for the actions of a few,” the Falmouth Republican said in a press statement. “I look forward to working with local riders on safety initiatives and noise issues in a way that respects motorcyclists’ rights and educates the general public.” Patrick recounts tax efforts State Rep. Matt Patrick does not support rolling back the state income and sales tax to 5 percent, but he says he’s tried to shift the tax burden from the majority of wage earners and the elderly. In a press release, the Falmouth Democrat said the proposed rollback would “decimate public funding for schools, roads, emergency services and all that is needed to keep our communities safe and positive places to live. Without these funds, local aid will dry up and towns will be forced to cut essential programs or raise property taxes to make up the difference.” Patrick said he tried in the last session to pass an amendment that would have put more of the tax burden on the wealthy; he included a $5,000 exemption for people 65 and older, and excluded income from Social Security and pensions. Chew over the issues with Lambros State rep candidate Lance Lambros will welcome voters for pizza and a conversation about the issues Sept. 28 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Dino’s, 401 Nathan Ellis Highway in Mashpee. Hunting for bread, Tuscan and otherwise Randy Hunt brought in $32,647 in the period ending Aug. 27, according to his report filed with the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance. In a press release, the Sandwich state rep hopeful pointed out that he raised more money over those months than all but one other Cape Codder running for the same office. That sent us to the state Web site, where we found the champ is Lower Cape Rep. Sarah Peake, weighing in at $39,710. Hunt will celebrate his good news at a fundraiser Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. at the American Legion in Sandwich. It started out as a pasta supper, he notes, but got upgraded to a Tuscan Evening when “we found a strolling violinist to add panache to the event.” An opponent for Coakley Former prosecutor Jim McKenna, an attorney from Millbury, will be on the Republican ballot as a candidate for attorney general in November. He collected more than the necessary 10,000 write-in votes to earn that status.

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